Authority:

Maguire, Bassett. 1978. The botany of the Guayana Highland--part X. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 29: 1-288.

Family:

Ericaceae

Description:

Variety Description - This variety differs from var steyermarku in having leaves setose in the upper half, pedicels with unbranched (rarely branched) setae, setae of the sepals and pedicels longer, and ovaries which are always short pubescent.

Discussion:

9a-2. Ledothamnus steyermarkii subsp steyermarkii var puberulus (A. C. Smith) Maguire, Steyermark & Luteyn, comb nov Ledothamnus tatei war puberulus A. C. Smith, BriUonia 3: 185. 1939. A. C. Smith described this taxon as a variety of L. tatei based upon its more puberulus leaves and the fewer setae on the dorsal surface of the sepals. Pubescence of the leaves is highly variable as are numbers of setae. The present transfer is based upon the belief that the branched nature of the setae is a more important and reliable means of aligning this taxon.